Part 79 (2/2)
What the police agent was hiding was a pair of pistols. Under their long, b.u.t.toned-up and doubled-breasted frock coats these men were armed.
They were ordered to treat ”those gentlemen” with the most profound respect, but in certain circ.u.mstances to blow out their brains.
The prisoners had each been informed that in the eyes of the different authorities whom they would meet on the road they would pa.s.s for foreigners, Swiss or Belgians, expelled on account of their political opinions, and that the police agents would keep their t.i.tle of police agents, and would represent themselves as charged with reconducting these foreigners to the frontier.
Two-thirds of the journey were accomplished without any hindrance. At Valenciennes an incident occurred.
The _coup d'etat_ having succeeded, zeal reigned paramount. No task was any longer considered despicable. To denounce was to please; zeal is one of the forms of servitude towards which people lean the most willingly.
The general became a common soldier, the prefect became a commissary of police, the commissary of police became a police spy.
The commissary of police at Valenciennes himself superintended the inspection of pa.s.sports. For nothing in the world would he have deputed this important office to a subordinate inspector. When they presented him the pa.s.sport of the so-called Leblanc, he looked the so-called Leblanc full in the face, started, and exclaimed,--
”You are General Changarnier!”
”That is no affair of mine,” said the General.
Upon this the two keepers of the General protested and exhibited their papers, perfectly drawn up in due form.
”Mr. Commissary, we are Government agents. Here are our proper pa.s.sports.”
”Improper ones,” said the General.
The Commissary shook his head. He had been employed in Paris, and had been frequently sent to the headquarters of the staff at the Tuileries, to General Changarnier. He knew him very well.
”This is too much!” exclaimed the police agents. They bl.u.s.tered, declared that they were police functionaries on a special service, that they had instructions to conduct to the frontier this Leblanc, expelled for political reasons, swore by all the G.o.ds, and gave their word of honor that the so-called Leblanc was really named Leblanc.
”I do not much believe in words of honor,” said the Commissary.
”Honest Commissary,” muttered Changarnier, ”you are right. Since the 2d of December words of honor and oaths are no more than worthless paper money.”
And then he began to smile.
The Commissary became more and more perplexed. The police agents ended by invoking the testimony of the prisoner himself.
”Now, sir, tell him your name yourself.”
”Get out of the difficulty yourselves,” answered Changarnier.
All this appeared most irregular to the mind of a provincial alguazil.
It seemed evident to the Commissary of Valenciennes that General Changarnier was escaping from Ham under a false name with a false pa.s.sport, and with false agents of police, in order to mislead the authorities, and that it was a plot to escape which was on the point of succeeding.
”Come down, all three of you!” exclaimed the Commissary.
The General gets down, and on putting foot to the ground notices Charras in the depths of his compartment between his two bullies.
”Oho! Charras, you are there!” he cries.
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